Small-school syndrome? Not at Kenyon-Wanamingo, where the Knights, despite their No. 5 ranking in the Class 1A coaches' poll from Sept. 23, remain overshadowed by larger, more accomplished and more celebrated volleyball programs in the Hiawatha Valley League.
Knights coach Jen Nerison, in fact, talks as if she's attending a homecoming rather than taking her team into the home gym of the state's top-ranked Class 2A team in Stewartville. She praised the Tigers' facilities, crowds and coaches. "They are so welcoming to us," she said.
But bad blood or best friends, Tuesday's match featuring one of the best in Class 1A against one of the best in Class 2A, should be competitive, well-played and, well, friendly. It's a collegial rivalry that deserves our nod as Top Game of the Week.
Kenyon-Wanamingo (8-4, 2-2) annually fights for attention in league play with Class 2A giants Kasson-Mantorville and Stewartville (10-1, 4-0). Nerison said competing in one of the state's toughest conferences is the best preparation for the postseason, where the Knights have advanced to the state tournament in two of the past three seasons.
And the Knights have had a great deal of success in the Hiawatha Valley, winning the league crown in four of the past eight seasons, including three in a row from 2014-16. Stewartville has won three conference titles and finished a half-game behind Kenyon-Wanamingo twice in that span.
Senior outside hitter Ally Peterson leads the Knights in kills and shares the team lead in digs with senior outside hitter Megan Mattson. Senior setter Madi Luebke passed the 1,000-career assists mark early in the season and Julianna Boyum is right near the team leaders in kills and digs.
Stewartville has been to the state tournament three times since 2011, and coach John Dzubay said this is perhaps his most individually talented Tigers team.
Senior hitter Kaitylyn Prondzinski, the Tigers' only player with state tournament experience and an Illinois State commit, leads the team in kills. Junior middle hitter Erin Lamb has not committed to a college but is being recruited by Division I schools. Junior setter Jaidyn Brower passed the 1,000-career assists mark last week.